Hole #15 “Eden”

190 Yards, 165 Yards, 126 Yards, Par 3

Charles Banks in 1925 “This is the Eden hole which has its original on the St. Andrews course in Scotland. This is the fourth and last of the short holes and is a one shot with the iron. The regular tee gives the customary distance for the iron (175 yards). In its original setting this green has the river Eden flowing along the back. From the tee it appears that the river touches the back of the green but in reality the river is beyond the bunker which crossed the back of the green. The bunkers on the right and left of this green are named Strath Bunker on the right and the Shelley Bunker on the left. This green has a different setting. In the case of the short holes the fairway of the fairgreen is missing and the intervening space is rough. From all holes the rough extends some 129 yards from tee before the smooth fairgreen begins.”

In removing trees that had crept into the left side of the length of the hole, Scott Ramsay has opened up the original sight line from the tees. Restoration of the oddly-shaped Strath Bunker and elimination of the railroad ties that had been added to its face in the 1960s have much improved the bunker’s appearance and playability. Ramsay has also extended the front lip of the green and created an apron of fairway below. This allows more creative run-up shots, but putts from above any front pin locations can now quickly slide off the front edge of the green. Better management of the fescue grasses that sweep behind the green accentuates their evocation of the flowing river Eden.